TOS Weekly - Valuing and Expressing the Self
Plus American patriotism and self-esteem, the White Rose: a story of unsurpassed courage, and the life-enriching art of Ray Harryhausen and Leroy Anderson.
A note for TOS print subscribers: Our printer has informed us that, due to an overloaded production schedule, the mailing of the summer issue has been delayed. We are working with the printer to have the issue mailed as soon as possible, and we apologize for the delay. In the meantime, please enjoy the digital edition, which is available here.
Welcome to TOS Weekly!
History is replete with examples of societies wherein large proportions of people have abandoned all respect for human life. How does this happen? What ideas contribute to it? These are questions that the recent film Mickey 17 broaches through its depiction of a world in which some people can be “reprinted” after death, effectively making them “expendable.” In her review of the movie, Ava Scott-Nadal examines its depiction of this society and the way the film conveys the idea that we must uphold the value of our own lives.
Valuing ourselves includes expressing ourselves through the work we choose to engage in. Volunteering, when motivated by one’s own values rather than any sense of “duty,” can be a powerful way to express oneself productively. In my new article, I tell the story of the volunteers who, as the steam-driven rail industry they loved was collapsing in the 1950s and 1960s, banded together to acquire, operate, and rebuild scenic rail lines as tourist attractions and museums of industrial history.
I hope you enjoy this week’s articles,
Thomas F. Walker
Managing Editor
What’s New?
Mickey 17: The Importance of Valuing Life—Especially Your Own
Mickey 17 is a sci-fi thought experiment: What if we stopped valuing life, and what would that do to unskilled workers? Mickey 17 addresses these questions by exploring the importance of self-interest in such a context and why one might choose to fight for a meaningful life.
The Volunteers Who Turned Failed Transport Links into Thriving Tourist Attractions
Passionate volunteers have turned thousands of miles of abandoned rails across the world into thriving tourist attractions that celebrate industry, technology, and innovation.
This Week’s Anniversaries
The White Rose: A Story of Unsurpassed Courage
In the years 1942–1943, at the height of the Nazi reign of terror, a group of idealistic young Germans rose to challenge Hitler’s regime. They published a series of pamphlets that upheld, in ringing terms, love of freedom and a call to end Nazi brutality. In reference to the moral purity of their cause, they dubbed themselves the “White Rose.”
Ray Harryhausen: Giving New Life to Old Legends
Ray Harryhausen—born June 29, 1920—was a maverick, path-breaking movie maker. He gave new life to old legends, created legends of his own, and inspired the legends of the next generation.
Leroy Anderson’s Joyful American Music
If you are happy and seeking confirmation—or striving and seeking inspiration—listen to the joyful American music of Leroy Anderson, born June 29, 1908.
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